Kimi Antonelli dumped by girlfriend ahead of 2026 F1 season

Mercedes’ young star Kimi Antonelli is heading into the biggest season of his young career as a single man after being dumped by his girlfriend (pictured).

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The 18-year-old Italian, who stunned the paddock by finishing seventh in the Drivers’ Championship in his rookie year, has been dumped by his girlfriend of nearly two years, Eliska Babickova.

The split was confirmed on Tuesday by Babickova herself in a heartfelt (and very direct) Instagram video to her 168,000 followers. In the clip, the Czech racer and social-media personality addressed swirling rumors and set the record straight in no uncertain terms.

“I’ve seen so many speculations and fake narratives… Yes we did break up, I was the one to end the relationship,” she said.

“We no longer aligned in our personal lives and what we wanted for our futures. Our values towards the end of the relationship were very different. There’s no massive drama. No other men, no other women, no cheating. Other people were never the problem.”

The couple had been together since late 2023 and were often pictured together at races and karting events. Babickova, herself a talented karter with ambitions in motorsport, had been a visible presence in Antonelli’s support circle during his breakthrough 2025 season.

But as February unfolded, the pair quietly realized things weren’t working. They spent the month “trying to figure stuff out,” according to Babickova, before she made the call to end it.

The timing couldn’t be more brutal for the Mercedes driver.

With brand-new 2026 engine regulations set to shake up the grid, Mercedes are widely tipped to be genuine title contenders for the first time since the hybrid era began. Antonelli will line up alongside George Russell with every expectation that the Silver Arrows can fight at the front from the very first race in Melbourne next month.

Whether the split becomes fuel for a breakout season or a distraction remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the “new kid on the grid” who outscored Lewis Hamilton by six points in 2025 now enters 2026 with zero off-track distractions and a very public reminder that life moves fast — both on and off the track.

Fans have already flooded social media with messages of support for both sides. Many noted the maturity with which the breakup was handled, with no mud-slinging or third-party drama.

As one paddock insider put it: “Kimi’s got the car, the talent and now the clear head. Watch this space.”

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix is just weeks away. For Antonelli, the green light is about to go on — and this time he’s racing with nothing to lose.